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You, Maybe: The Profound Asymmetry of Love in High School
Josie is independent and fierce. She may flirt with boys or kiss them, but it doesn't mean anything, not even with Michael, who's more like a friend-with-benefits. So how can she explain what happens when Carson Gold goes after her? Carson Gold, the hottest senior, the one everyone secretly watches. . . . Maybe it's the same thing that causes all the girls to stare as he walks by. Or maybe it's something between them, something just he and Josie share. Could you resist? It's too much, when love finds you and pulls you under. It's too much, even for Josie.
224 pages, Paperback
First published April 25, 2006
24 people are currently reading
629 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Vail
56 books457 followersBirth
I was born on July 25, 1966, in NEW YORK CITY, and grew up in New Rochelle, NY, with my mother, my father, and my younger brother Jon. (And down the street from my future husband, though of course I didn't know that until much later.)
Interests
Some details, I do know-I was very into reading and theater, so I read every book I could get my hands on (especially realistic fiction, either contemporary or historical) and took acting workshops and auditioned for every play in school, camp, or the community. I played Peter Pan, Miss Hannigan in Annie, Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls, the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, and lots of extremely memorable chorus parts-for instance, I was "girl number two" in Fiddler on the Roof-the one who said "We heard about your sister, Chava". I didn't care -I just wanted to be on stage. Waiting backstage before curtain call, after giving my all in a performance, was the best feeling I knew. In seventh grade I started taking magic lessons, and by eighth grade I was making all my own spending money by performing at kids' birthday parties as a clown named Tallulah. I liked the freedom of wearing all that grease-paint-I could be as wacky and un-cool as I wanted. I tried dance but felt so clumsy. I faked a sprained ankle to get out of the recital. I took voice lessons which made me a little light-headed (and I was afraid of the voice teacher's growling, drooling Doberman) and both saxophone and piano, neither of which I ever practiced. I did well in school but started a lot of my work at the last minute, in a crazy mad dash, so that it was never late but there were usually careless errors or areas I had to fudge. I had this idea that to work hard at something was sort of a negative, an admission that I didn't have natural talent. If I wasn't going to be Mozart and have the music (or dance, or math, or social studies term paper, or whatever) channeled through me from God, then I was just embarrassing myself by all that workmanlike effort. I didn't get over that idea until after college, by the way.
Career Ambitions
I never really planned to be a writer. I planned to be a financial wizard after learning about option-spreading at age 10, then a poet after discovering Shakespeare at 11. After overhearing "the real power is held by the lobbyists" on a class trip to Albany, I planned to become a lobbyist. Secretly, of course I always imagined myself as an actress, but that didn't seem hard or important enough, and also I worried I wasn't naturally gifted enough.
Parents
My parents were always great. I liked to make them proud, and they trusted me and supported my efforts and interests, which was sometimes weirdly tough. There was so little for me to rebel against.
As a Kid
When people ask me what I was as a kid, I always feel like my answer is at best incomplete.What are you like, as a kid? I'm still trying to figure out what I'm like as an adult.
Socially
Well, things went in waves. Sometimes I felt very "in", very aware of and tied in to the whole scene, excited by who liked whom, all the gossip, some of it less than kind. Other times I felt so alone-like there was nobody like me, nobody who liked me, nobody to talk to. And much of the time it was somewhere in between. A best friend when I was lucky, and a few people in each crowd I liked and who liked me. I resisted being classified as a brain or a jock or alternative or popular-too limiting. I would have to shut down too many parts of myself to be just one type.
Adolescence
I went through a very intense stage in middle school (Junior High). I worried about being too ordinary. I also worried about being too weird. I also worried about changing states of matter, my inability to be morally certain, ignorance (my own and world-wide), and making a fool of myself.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rachel...
I was born on July 25, 1966, in NEW YORK CITY, and grew up in New Rochelle, NY, with my mother, my father, and my younger brother Jon. (And down the street from my future husband, though of course I didn't know that until much later.)
Interests
Some details, I do know-I was very into reading and theater, so I read every book I could get my hands on (especially realistic fiction, either contemporary or historical) and took acting workshops and auditioned for every play in school, camp, or the community. I played Peter Pan, Miss Hannigan in Annie, Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls, the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, and lots of extremely memorable chorus parts-for instance, I was "girl number two" in Fiddler on the Roof-the one who said "We heard about your sister, Chava". I didn't care -I just wanted to be on stage. Waiting backstage before curtain call, after giving my all in a performance, was the best feeling I knew. In seventh grade I started taking magic lessons, and by eighth grade I was making all my own spending money by performing at kids' birthday parties as a clown named Tallulah. I liked the freedom of wearing all that grease-paint-I could be as wacky and un-cool as I wanted. I tried dance but felt so clumsy. I faked a sprained ankle to get out of the recital. I took voice lessons which made me a little light-headed (and I was afraid of the voice teacher's growling, drooling Doberman) and both saxophone and piano, neither of which I ever practiced. I did well in school but started a lot of my work at the last minute, in a crazy mad dash, so that it was never late but there were usually careless errors or areas I had to fudge. I had this idea that to work hard at something was sort of a negative, an admission that I didn't have natural talent. If I wasn't going to be Mozart and have the music (or dance, or math, or social studies term paper, or whatever) channeled through me from God, then I was just embarrassing myself by all that workmanlike effort. I didn't get over that idea until after college, by the way.
Career Ambitions
I never really planned to be a writer. I planned to be a financial wizard after learning about option-spreading at age 10, then a poet after discovering Shakespeare at 11. After overhearing "the real power is held by the lobbyists" on a class trip to Albany, I planned to become a lobbyist. Secretly, of course I always imagined myself as an actress, but that didn't seem hard or important enough, and also I worried I wasn't naturally gifted enough.
Parents
My parents were always great. I liked to make them proud, and they trusted me and supported my efforts and interests, which was sometimes weirdly tough. There was so little for me to rebel against.
As a Kid
When people ask me what I was as a kid, I always feel like my answer is at best incomplete.What are you like, as a kid? I'm still trying to figure out what I'm like as an adult.
Socially
Well, things went in waves. Sometimes I felt very "in", very aware of and tied in to the whole scene, excited by who liked whom, all the gossip, some of it less than kind. Other times I felt so alone-like there was nobody like me, nobody who liked me, nobody to talk to. And much of the time it was somewhere in between. A best friend when I was lucky, and a few people in each crowd I liked and who liked me. I resisted being classified as a brain or a jock or alternative or popular-too limiting. I would have to shut down too many parts of myself to be just one type.
Adolescence
I went through a very intense stage in middle school (Junior High). I worried about being too ordinary. I also worried about being too weird. I also worried about changing states of matter, my inability to be morally certain, ignorance (my own and world-wide), and making a fool of myself.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rachel...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
June 23, 2012
1.5 STARS
THE ENDING, REALLY?? I HAD HOPED IF ALL ELSE FAILED THAT THE MAIN CHARACTER WOULD HAVE DIGNITY IN THE END, WHEN SHE DISCOVERED 'CARSON' & HIS TRUE SELF....BUT THE WAY SHE ACTED MADE ME CRINGE..DO GIRLS REALLY DO THAT?? C'MON HAVE SELF-PRIDE..PLEASE..IN THE BEGINNING SHE WAS ALL ABOUT NOT BEING A HALF-COUPLE AND SELF WORTH BUT I FEEL AS THOUGH THE ENDING RUINED HER CHARACTER FOR ME... I UNDERSTAND SHE FELL FOR THE WRONG GUY EVEN IF HE SCREAMED DANGER AND ''DO NOT'' TRUST ME ALL OVER BUT STILL THE WAY SHE BEGGED IN THE END, WAS SO W-R-O-N-G TO ME IT MADE ME THROW THE BOOK..
I WANTED A NICE ROMANCE, AND I GOT THIS INSTEAD...
THIS WASN'T A BAD READ JUST LEFT YOU WANTING TO KICK THE MAIN CHARACTER AS WELL AS THE BAD BOY AND BASICALLY EVERYONE EXCEPT THE BEST FRIEND...
THE ENDING, REALLY?? I HAD HOPED IF ALL ELSE FAILED THAT THE MAIN CHARACTER WOULD HAVE DIGNITY IN THE END, WHEN SHE DISCOVERED 'CARSON' & HIS TRUE SELF....BUT THE WAY SHE ACTED MADE ME CRINGE..DO GIRLS REALLY DO THAT?? C'MON HAVE SELF-PRIDE..PLEASE..IN THE BEGINNING SHE WAS ALL ABOUT NOT BEING A HALF-COUPLE AND SELF WORTH BUT I FEEL AS THOUGH THE ENDING RUINED HER CHARACTER FOR ME... I UNDERSTAND SHE FELL FOR THE WRONG GUY EVEN IF HE SCREAMED DANGER AND ''DO NOT'' TRUST ME ALL OVER BUT STILL THE WAY SHE BEGGED IN THE END, WAS SO W-R-O-N-G TO ME IT MADE ME THROW THE BOOK..
I WANTED A NICE ROMANCE, AND I GOT THIS INSTEAD...
THIS WASN'T A BAD READ JUST LEFT YOU WANTING TO KICK THE MAIN CHARACTER AS WELL AS THE BAD BOY AND BASICALLY EVERYONE EXCEPT THE BEST FRIEND...
July 6, 2011
I was really enjoying this book up until the last couple of chapters. I liked Josie and all her little quirks that made her unique. I loved how she didn't care what anyone thought of her and how she just went through her day being 100% her. I liked her friends and I liked Michael. I even liked the romance that was beginning with the popular boy. And her parents made me laugh out loud when they embarrassed her with typical things a 15 year old would find embarrassing in their parents. But she just fell apart and it became painful to read after that. She fell so far from where she started and in such a short time I started to not like her character anymore. Her desperation made me cringe and I didn't think it was true to her character. And the ending was so abrupt. I kept looking for the last couple chapters I was sure were missing out of my book.
November 28, 2011
No. Just no. Okay, on the up side - definitely true to life. I remember myself acting stupid over boys. But this girl was REALLY stupid, especially since she was supposed to be a smart, funny, original girl. So as I'm plodding through all the stupidity, my hope, my guiding light is that I am sure her smart originality will finally come through and she'll realize what she should do and there will be a smart, funny, original resolution that will leave me smiling and satisfied. Nope.
June 23, 2021
This book was a bit of a disappointment, story wise. I was hoping for a whole lot more with the plot and the characters. I have a problem with a quite a lot of things in this book. First, the Carson character I knew was trouble before I even read the first page. His character was really into himself and had a lot of mood swings. His character is very hypocritical and even though it is portrayed as subtle, it was really quite obvious. His character was snobbish and thought that if anybody ever didn't do what he wanted that they didn't "Love" or care about him. He just needed Josie as a distraction from his past girlfriend and he knew how to use her weaknesses against her. He completely called out all of her issues with self-image and used her "casual relationship" ways as an excuse to twist her mind and make her want to be even closer to him.
I must say I was hoping that Josie would pull through in the end when the relationship inevitably died out, you know, be tough and not let him hurt her as much as he did with everyone else who was ever in her position. The events of the story were foreshadowed in the first chapter and it was obvious how the ending would turn out. I just wanted to rant about my obvious hatred for the Carson character.
I liked the Josie character although I did hope for more strength on her part. She was all about "Not being a half of a couple" in the beginning and with her relationship with her best friend, Michael, and then she completely went under for Carson. I don't blame her, I mean, that happens to everyone, but I wish she had been more precautious from the start. Her personality was very funny though, I enjoyed her witty commentary and banter but that faded out once she became obsessed.
This book is a good lesson for a lot of girls AND guys out there. Don't just jump head first into a relationship without knowledge of what might happen and to know your boundaries. It was an okay book and story but with a great message. So, if you don't want to read it for the lack of romance at least read it to learn about the great life lesson.
I must say I was hoping that Josie would pull through in the end when the relationship inevitably died out, you know, be tough and not let him hurt her as much as he did with everyone else who was ever in her position. The events of the story were foreshadowed in the first chapter and it was obvious how the ending would turn out. I just wanted to rant about my obvious hatred for the Carson character.
I liked the Josie character although I did hope for more strength on her part. She was all about "Not being a half of a couple" in the beginning and with her relationship with her best friend, Michael, and then she completely went under for Carson. I don't blame her, I mean, that happens to everyone, but I wish she had been more precautious from the start. Her personality was very funny though, I enjoyed her witty commentary and banter but that faded out once she became obsessed.
This book is a good lesson for a lot of girls AND guys out there. Don't just jump head first into a relationship without knowledge of what might happen and to know your boundaries. It was an okay book and story but with a great message. So, if you don't want to read it for the lack of romance at least read it to learn about the great life lesson.
August 26, 2011
The Deal: Josie is neither popular nor unpopular high school junior; she has two best friends, and a boy who could maybe be more than a friend... and she's possibly the only girl in the school not in love with Carson Gold - the post popular guy at school.
That's until Carson notices her and suddenly, after a couple of after school hook ups, they are an item, and Josie finds herself on half of the IT couple, with all the good and bad it entails.
My Thoughts: I'm sorry to say "You Maybe" was a bit of a book-fail for me. Technically, the book isn't bad, the writing is actually very good, but I didn't care for the characters and it all felt very two dimensional.
The way Josie falls for Carson and becomes another Carson fangirl annoyed me, the causal approach everyone took toward 'hooking up' bugged me no end - Josie is making out with Carson one day and with her friend the other (because she and the friend were in kind of a defacto relationship, even though Josie thought all they did was kiss, which is kind of ridiculous if you ask me).
Josie's friends weren't a win either, part of me felt like they were the standard-somewhat promiscuous-outgoing-friend, and the standard-shy-genius-friend, and beyond that they had no personality to me.
Anyway, everything felt kind of flat to me. The writing was very good, I just didn't like the characters, other than Josie's mom, I like her though she's in like 1% of the book.
Favorite Quote: "Well?" Carson asked, "What do you believe in? Chemistry? Cold hard science?"
"Chocolate, books and true love," I answered.
He smiled at me, "Me too, at least chocolate and books. Love is a brat."
That's until Carson notices her and suddenly, after a couple of after school hook ups, they are an item, and Josie finds herself on half of the IT couple, with all the good and bad it entails.
My Thoughts: I'm sorry to say "You Maybe" was a bit of a book-fail for me. Technically, the book isn't bad, the writing is actually very good, but I didn't care for the characters and it all felt very two dimensional.
The way Josie falls for Carson and becomes another Carson fangirl annoyed me, the causal approach everyone took toward 'hooking up' bugged me no end - Josie is making out with Carson one day and with her friend the other (because she and the friend were in kind of a defacto relationship, even though Josie thought all they did was kiss, which is kind of ridiculous if you ask me).
Josie's friends weren't a win either, part of me felt like they were the standard-somewhat promiscuous-outgoing-friend, and the standard-shy-genius-friend, and beyond that they had no personality to me.
Anyway, everything felt kind of flat to me. The writing was very good, I just didn't like the characters, other than Josie's mom, I like her though she's in like 1% of the book.
Favorite Quote: "Well?" Carson asked, "What do you believe in? Chemistry? Cold hard science?"
"Chocolate, books and true love," I answered.
He smiled at me, "Me too, at least chocolate and books. Love is a brat."
December 10, 2010
OK... I really liked the book but the ending really was disappointing. She became exactly what she though was so horrible. I wish at the end she got together with Michael.
Anyways, I really started to hate her character as the book progressed. When she blew off Michael, that was when I really hated her. Carsen is so UUUGHGHHHHHH! and I knew that he still loved Emalina and he would get back together with her in the end. I just had a feeling and it was true.
I love Michael. I really hate how Josie stood him up. Uggghh! I kinda knew that he was in love with her and I wish he wasn't because she is kinda a horrible person. He deserves so much better.
If it weren't for the ending, I would have probably given the book a higher rating. Sigh.... So sad.
P.S. The cover kinda put me on fringe... Maybe because it's so newspapery, and recyclely and papery... I'm so weird...
Anyways, I really started to hate her character as the book progressed. When she blew off Michael, that was when I really hated her. Carsen is so UUUGHGHHHHHH! and I knew that he still loved Emalina and he would get back together with her in the end. I just had a feeling and it was true.
I love Michael. I really hate how Josie stood him up. Uggghh! I kinda knew that he was in love with her and I wish he wasn't because she is kinda a horrible person. He deserves so much better.
If it weren't for the ending, I would have probably given the book a higher rating. Sigh.... So sad.
P.S. The cover kinda put me on fringe... Maybe because it's so newspapery, and recyclely and papery... I'm so weird...
July 18, 2012
I fully regret picking up this book. I honestly considered putting it away after the first 20 pages or so. The way the author portrayed "teenage love" is so cliche and I can't stand the way Josie behaved when Carson broke up with her.
It pained me to read this book and see how desperate she became about having this boy. It was such a typical teen love novel and I knew how it was going to end within the first 5 pages.
Not recommended at all.
It pained me to read this book and see how desperate she became about having this boy. It was such a typical teen love novel and I knew how it was going to end within the first 5 pages.
Not recommended at all.
May 30, 2013
i did not like htis book at all. from the get go i was confused with the charactors and did not fall in love with them. they had no substance. and the entire book had no plot what so ever it was just Josie and 2 other guys making out all the time. sorry but i would not suggest this book.
February 20, 2013
I personally thought that this was an amazing book. It was a suspenseful book. There were many times when I couldn't stop reading because I really wanted to find out what happened in the next chapter. I think that I liked this book so much because it is a romantic book, but it also doesn't have the ending you think that it will. The ending is actually the exact opposite of what I thought it would be. Although this book did not have the ending I wanted it to, I loved how the main character's attitude towards everything was. Her name is Josie. There is this boy named Carson Gold, that everyone in the whole school except for Josie is completely in love with. Carson takes an interest in Josie, but at first Josie doesn't care. She doesn't want any part of the whole loving Carson Gold thing. Carson and Josie fooled around every other day at first, but then it became an everyday thing. Carson swept Josie off of her feet, and let her fall in love with him, even when he knew he didn't love her but was still in love with his ex, Emilena.
The whole story line is about Carson and Josie, Carson and Emilena, and Micheal (Josie's best friend) and Josie. Micheal loves Josie, Josie loves Carson, and Carson loves Emilena. Josie was supposed to go to Micheal's house to watch movies with him all day for his sixteenth birthday, but instead wants to go to Carsons football party. Micheal decides that he is going to tell Josie that he loves her, but Josie also decided to tell Micheal that her and Carson are dating. Micheal and Josie get into a huge fight and are no longer friends. Josie starts separating herself from her other two best friends for Carson. When Carson breaks Josie's heart her real friends are there for her. In the end Micheal is still in love with Josie, and Josie is still in love with Carson, but thinks she might love Micheal when they start getting closer again.
I gave this book five out of five stars because i love the way that Rachel Vail writes it. All the characters emotions are so much like real teenagers today. They think they love someone and that person loves them back, but they don't, and then they become obsessed with trying to get that person to feel the same way to them and they do to that person. I believe that Rachel Vail really captured the everyday lives of high school students from being pressured to do sexual things to thinking your in love so you want to do sexual things. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read romance books, and who like twisted endings. My favorite part of this book is when Carson first sweeps Josie off of her feet, but my least favorite part was when Carson told Josie he doesn't love her and when Josie and Micheal get in the big fight.
The whole story line is about Carson and Josie, Carson and Emilena, and Micheal (Josie's best friend) and Josie. Micheal loves Josie, Josie loves Carson, and Carson loves Emilena. Josie was supposed to go to Micheal's house to watch movies with him all day for his sixteenth birthday, but instead wants to go to Carsons football party. Micheal decides that he is going to tell Josie that he loves her, but Josie also decided to tell Micheal that her and Carson are dating. Micheal and Josie get into a huge fight and are no longer friends. Josie starts separating herself from her other two best friends for Carson. When Carson breaks Josie's heart her real friends are there for her. In the end Micheal is still in love with Josie, and Josie is still in love with Carson, but thinks she might love Micheal when they start getting closer again.
I gave this book five out of five stars because i love the way that Rachel Vail writes it. All the characters emotions are so much like real teenagers today. They think they love someone and that person loves them back, but they don't, and then they become obsessed with trying to get that person to feel the same way to them and they do to that person. I believe that Rachel Vail really captured the everyday lives of high school students from being pressured to do sexual things to thinking your in love so you want to do sexual things. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read romance books, and who like twisted endings. My favorite part of this book is when Carson first sweeps Josie off of her feet, but my least favorite part was when Carson told Josie he doesn't love her and when Josie and Micheal get in the big fight.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2012
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Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.
WARNING THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. THEY ARE NOT MARKED. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Well. That was dumb. I don't think that I can even summarize this book without making it sound ridiculously stupid...grr. My reading slump has become part of life, people. It sucks. Big time. So, I just have a few things to say about this book. *glances at watch* First: I spent three hours on this book, and I don't...no. Just no. How could....never mind.
I'll start off with this: Josie sucked. In the beginning I was all for her, because she did seem, (to quote the book jacket) independent and fierce. She seemed really awesome. She had her own opinions, and she wasn't afraid to express them. She was completely unique, (she was a clown!) she was funny, and I really liked her. For the first three pages. Then she started talking about how "Nobody dates anymore, they just hook up." "I've hooked up a lot. I like it. I'm fifteen." Then I was like, no. No freaking way. I don't think I'll like you, Josie.
You're kind of ditzy. And worse yet, she doesn't want a serious relationship. She just wants to hang out and hook up! And she does, with two different guys at once! (Because that's so realistic.) And then, lo and behold, I want to be exclusive with Carson, the school's golden boy, who everyone likes. But I'm gonna tease him first. I'm gonna be a jerk, then maybe he'll like me! *DITZY*
I shall date him, because he wants me so very much! He loves me! Why don't I love him? NEWSFLASH GIRL, HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU. He likes you. Big difference there. I know, that's very hard to believe. I'll change everything about myself, just so he'll like me! FLASHING NEON SIGN: DON'T DO IT, SERIOUSLY.
She does it. She changes everything about herself to make him happy, and then he's a total freaking jerk, tells her that he doesn't love her (do you see my point??) and dumps her, then starts dating someone else. Plus, the ending was ridiculous.
NOTE: I have nothing against this author, and I'm sorry if this rant has upset anyone. I guess I've just been in a ranting mood lately...sorry guys. :(
Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.
WARNING THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. THEY ARE NOT MARKED. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Well. That was dumb. I don't think that I can even summarize this book without making it sound ridiculously stupid...grr. My reading slump has become part of life, people. It sucks. Big time. So, I just have a few things to say about this book. *glances at watch* First: I spent three hours on this book, and I don't...no. Just no. How could....never mind.
I'll start off with this: Josie sucked. In the beginning I was all for her, because she did seem, (to quote the book jacket) independent and fierce. She seemed really awesome. She had her own opinions, and she wasn't afraid to express them. She was completely unique, (she was a clown!) she was funny, and I really liked her. For the first three pages. Then she started talking about how "Nobody dates anymore, they just hook up." "I've hooked up a lot. I like it. I'm fifteen." Then I was like, no. No freaking way. I don't think I'll like you, Josie.
You're kind of ditzy. And worse yet, she doesn't want a serious relationship. She just wants to hang out and hook up! And she does, with two different guys at once! (Because that's so realistic.) And then, lo and behold, I want to be exclusive with Carson, the school's golden boy, who everyone likes. But I'm gonna tease him first. I'm gonna be a jerk, then maybe he'll like me! *DITZY*
I shall date him, because he wants me so very much! He loves me! Why don't I love him? NEWSFLASH GIRL, HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU. He likes you. Big difference there. I know, that's very hard to believe. I'll change everything about myself, just so he'll like me! FLASHING NEON SIGN: DON'T DO IT, SERIOUSLY.
She does it. She changes everything about herself to make him happy, and then he's a total freaking jerk, tells her that he doesn't love her (do you see my point??) and dumps her, then starts dating someone else. Plus, the ending was ridiculous.
NOTE: I have nothing against this author, and I'm sorry if this rant has upset anyone. I guess I've just been in a ranting mood lately...sorry guys. :(
March 12, 2011
Okay, so far, this is the first Rachel Vail book I was able to get through. I picked it up because I enjoyed the main character's spunk. BUT! As the story progressed, she started acting on and believing her fears and insecurities and ended up sleeping in a bath tub and almost being showered on, screaming/crying "I love you!" to her ex- (I guess) boyfriend, and hitting him with a Wiffle bat. She became so PATHETIC!!!! For the love of all things good and holy, get over yourself, girl! He's just a normal, creepy teenage boy who doesn't care!
The irony is that, in the beginning, she was at this party where his last ex-girlfriend was there, doing the whole "I love you! You said you love me! I'm SORRY!!" thing, and she and her friends where making fun of her. She was so independent, or looked like it, that when she started relying on the Golden Egg, she couldn't accept it for what it really was, or what he and she were.
Josie-- Pathetic, insecure, in DENIAL. She makes Bella from Twilight look like a woman's advocate.
BP Whatshisface Gold-- A teenage boy who doesn't care about her feelings and lied to her.
Their 'love'-- a lie.
As Josie finally says just before she pushes him off a snowmobile, "Love is a brat, you think? No, love is fine. You are the brat, you spoiled, rotten brat!" And I totally agree.
The irony is that, in the beginning, she was at this party where his last ex-girlfriend was there, doing the whole "I love you! You said you love me! I'm SORRY!!" thing, and she and her friends where making fun of her. She was so independent, or looked like it, that when she started relying on the Golden Egg, she couldn't accept it for what it really was, or what he and she were.
Josie-- Pathetic, insecure, in DENIAL. She makes Bella from Twilight look like a woman's advocate.
BP Whatshisface Gold-- A teenage boy who doesn't care about her feelings and lied to her.
Their 'love'-- a lie.
As Josie finally says just before she pushes him off a snowmobile, "Love is a brat, you think? No, love is fine. You are the brat, you spoiled, rotten brat!" And I totally agree.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2011
"You, Maybe: The Profound Asymmetry of Love in High School" is a fascinating book about a girl named Josie, who is a sophomore in high school. Josie is the type of girl who never falls in love easily. She prefers to just flirt with guys, especially with her best friend Michael. One day, when she finds out that Carson Gold, a senior at her school, likes her, she can't believe it and neither can anybody else. When Carson asks Josie to be his girlfriend, she actually starts falling for him, or so she thinks. Throughout the story, Josie learns that Michael has been in love with her for a long time. She wants to be with Carson, but she also wants to stay friends with Michael. She soon realizes that she cannot have it both ways and she decides to choose Carson over Michael because she is so blinded by love. The story becomes depressing at the end for Josie because Carson soon realizes that he is still in love with his ex-girlfriend Emelina and she is still in love with him too. Josie becomes very angry and upset with Carson and her reaction to all of it is somewhat violent. This was a very well-written book, but I do wish it would've explained more about what happened to her friendship with Michael afterwards. I recommend this book to anybody who wants to read about teenage romance.
October 4, 2009
In high school, love is in the air! Crushes will develop and butterflies will start to flutter, and then you get the feeling that nobody knows what you are going through, right? Well, here’s a book for all of you high school girls out there. Josephine Dondorff,—or Josie—a tenth grader, falls in love with Carson Gold, the most popular guy in high school, after he continually pursues her. Though she really loved Carson, she discovered that their relationship was just an unbalanced fairy tale. I hope that there is a part two to this book because there is a questionable relationship between Josie and her friend, Michael.
This was an easy read, but a fun one nonetheless. I loved how the book ended because it was realistic and not the obvious happy ending that most teen romance books always have to have; the ending leaves you wanting more. You, Maybe is full of humor, romance, and sarcasm (though most of it came from Josie herself!). I think the author fantastically portrayed what it is like to be a teenager in high school, so most teenaged girls can relate to Josie and her gruesome journeys through family, friendship, and love.
This was an easy read, but a fun one nonetheless. I loved how the book ended because it was realistic and not the obvious happy ending that most teen romance books always have to have; the ending leaves you wanting more. You, Maybe is full of humor, romance, and sarcasm (though most of it came from Josie herself!). I think the author fantastically portrayed what it is like to be a teenager in high school, so most teenaged girls can relate to Josie and her gruesome journeys through family, friendship, and love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2007
This book is horrible!!! Never read it. It started out really good, but it just went down-hill from there. The main character went from an amazing role model(a strong girl with a mind of her own) and then she turned into a "typical high school girl"(tripping over herself just to talk to the popular boy). If you ever need to throw anything at a wall this is the thing to throw.
July 9, 2021
I hate this. I barely remember what happened in this book, but I remember (I'm pretty sure this is accurate) the unpopular girl betting attention from the popular guy and falling in love thinking he loves her to and I can't remember if he cheats on her or what but what I do 100% remember is at the end she hits him with a whiffle bat. I think he deserved it though.
June 5, 2007
With a pretty unsatisfying ending, and weak storyline throughout there's not much exciting to offer here. Might be exactly what someone surviving a recent break-up is looking for....but I'm not even sure about that.
July 8, 2009
This book is a piece of garbage !!! The main charactor Josie is just like any other stupid typical high school girl ! Reading this book was painful ! it made me second guess myself. Josie turned into the girl at the beginning of the book .
May 12, 2017
What would you do if the most popular boy in school liked you? Josie knows that Carson Gold is a player, but still falls for him. Will it cause her to lose friendships? This book is full of suspense and i couldn't put it down. You, Maybe by Rachel Vail, isn't as good as some of her other books such as If We Kiss. If We Kiss is much more interesting, and believable. I do think that this is a girls book because of the romance. If I rewrote it, I would change about the last third of the book, it doesn't make much sense. Also, I was disappointed when the book didn't have a happy ending, instead it had a sad, angry, and doubtful vibe. The author puts this book out to be realistic fiction, but it isn't very believable, I mean who would get so mad at someone as to hit them with a bat? Josie had a perfectly good relationship with Micheal, but she throws that away to be with with the schools biggest player, Carson Gold. Carson is still hung up on his ex-girlfriend and now thinks that "Love is a brat". Josie wants Carson so bad because she thought that no one would ever like her. But when Carson's ex comes back Josie gets mad and shoves him off a snowmobile and yells, " Love is a brat, you think? No, love is fine. You are the brat, you spoiled, rotten, brat." The question is, would this happen in real life? Only if Josie is a complete psychopath, but other than that, no. A normal person would whine about it quietly and internally. I wish that I could rate this a half a star but I can't so, one star is the closest thing to nothing. Let me just say that this book hasn't won any awards, from what I could find, so that supports my case. I would only recommend this book to someone who likes to escape reality, to another reality without talking animals, and other things of that nature. But I do suggest reading If We Kiss by Rachel Vail, if that helps.
December 3, 2018
Gosh. This story had so much potential when it began. Young adult novel with a main character who is not afraid to get down and busy with a guy or 2? Sign me up for the non-cliche. Everything was going well. the character and her background were slowly expanding with each chapter then things got, urgh! I guess the mosquitoes in my room contributed to my frustration but it got to a point where I was like meh, doesn't feel as good as it should have been. Potential diminished. And that ending? Geez.
I never say don't read a book to anyone but if you do pick up this book, read it knowing that it may disappoint you.
I never say don't read a book to anyone but if you do pick up this book, read it knowing that it may disappoint you.
May 12, 2017
You, Maybe by Rachel Vail isn't as good as other of her books. She makes it seem like this book is realistic fiction, but no one would hit someone with a bat, or breakup with someone just because their ex came back to town. I will admit that I never wanted to put the book down, and always wanted to know what was going to happen next. The ending shouldn't have ended the way it did. If I wrote it I would change the last third of the book, just because it isn't as good, and doesn't make a lot of sense. I definitely would not recommend this book.
September 20, 2018
This book was awful! The only reason I gave it 2 Stars was because I liked the first part of the book. I liked the main character and her independence. Then the book went down hill from there. I reached the last page and came to the realization that I actually hated the main character/ supporting character. How does that even happen? Usually when bad things happen in books the book concludes in a way that made the whole book worth reading but this just ended in a way that made me feel unsatisfied and made me feel like a waisted a day reading this book!
November 29, 2018
I like this book because I love how the main character changed many times through the book. This book is about how the everyone is madly in love with the popular but the main character isn't. Somehow he decides to give her a shot at dating and she takes it. She would always be changing about being with him. He would always be making excuses to be with him.At the end she fell in love with him, but he was still in love with his ex. I would really recommend this book to people who are into fantasy, romance and fiction.
December 27, 2022
DNF. I stopped right around chapter 6. I couldn’t take it anymore. I loved Josie’s banter with her friends and Carson in the very beginning. Once she started talking about how she worked as a clown and causally made out with her best friend all the time was a lot to grasp. Once she showed up at Carson’s party as a clown I was done. This book is very YA. I could see a middle schooler reading it. I am baffled how it has the review it does.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2020
The main character starts our fearless and hilarious and turns into a spineless sycophant. WORST character development EVER!!! And it ends, with no real resolution with the boy who was loyal to her her whole life or her friends who she abandoned. UGH. What a colossal waste of my day! Precious hours I'll never get back!
Read
March 2, 2022It swore A Lot. It also talked about passionate kissing lots. Then there were a couple almost sex scenes. My final complaint? The ending was horrible! There was no solving the problem! She just tried to hurt him then was upset. She didn't even make up to her friends which would have made the end at least a little ok.
July 26, 2017
I finished it on the 24 I didn't like the way the plot was
August 22, 2017
what was that ending...
March 22, 2018
abrupt, unresolved ending - felt like half the story was missing!
February 10, 2022
This book is hilarious! If you want to know what highschool ISN'T like, then read this book. warning: you will cringe.
October 4, 2023
Favorite book in High school !
Took me 2 weeks to remember what it was called , kept recycling the plot over and over in my head lol!
Took me 2 weeks to remember what it was called , kept recycling the plot over and over in my head lol!
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